China cheats on steel - Arlen Specter

[AllentownJake]

America's continued hemorrhaging of manufacturing jobs poses a threat to the future economic health and freedom of the country. The chief threat comes from China and its predatory trading practices.

Steel is a major target of China. Nowhere is this threat greater than to the manufacture of seamless, welded tubular steel used in drilling for oil and gas.

More than just the jobs of workers at plants that make tubular steel are at stake, including plants in Pennsylvania. At risk also are the jobs of those who mine the ore, produce the raw steel and turn out the hot-rolled steel used in tubes. Thus, China's predatory trade policies are an attack on the entire steel industry, not just a single segment.

By spring 2009, six of 11 high-grade tubular-steel-producing facilities in the country, including the TMK-IPSCO mills in Koppel and Ambridge, were idle. While these plants are now operating at minimum capacity, overall capacity utilization for the industry has dropped from 68.5 percent in 2006 to 17.6 percent in 2009. During the same period China's market share of high-grade tubular steel rose from 15 percent to 37 percent. In November, the Commerce Department issued a preliminary finding of dumping against China, based on subsidy rates of between 10 and 16 percent.



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09343/1019357-109.stm#ixzz0ZEMFcvWG

[brentspeak]

1. Good to see Arlen speaking up on this issue

Let's hope he sincere about this if he wins reelection.

[AllentownJake]

2. I trust him more on this than the war

He's an asshole, but he's always tried to protect PA interest and Steel is a PA interest.

[Forkboy]

3. I've now agreed with Specter twice in one day.

Excuse me while I go blow my brains out. :)

[vadawg]

4. roflmao, how true is that

[HopeHoops]

5. So called "steel" from China is a joke.

If they ever manage to produce a vehicle that can pass even the minimum standards for highway safety, I wouldn't expect it to make it through two winters without converting to a pile of rust and cheap plastic.

[amborin]

6. i don't think they yet have the technology or expertise for

higher quality steel

but when they do.....

[Forkboy]

7. If they don't yet it's probably not far off.

This will be China's century, I have zero doubt about that.

[HopeHoops]

8. Technology or not, they'll use whatever method is cheapest - resulting in...

crap.